As a start-up gets off the ground, it has a short-lived
opportunity to decide how it wants to do business. With each new hire company
culture becomes more entrenched and somewhere after two dozen employees, it
tends to cement.
Establish a set of genuine values before your start-up gets
too complex.
Articulate a coherent philosophy about who you are and how you
will work. Also be clear about who you aren’t and what you won’t do. This will
make decisions easier and ultimately improve results. Rather than analyzing
each new decision afresh, you’ll have a common foundation from which to make
them. If you don’t do this deliberately when your organisation is young, the
culture will (often rigidly) form itself.
Your philosophy is your corporate constitution
and one of the most valuable pieces of IP you'll create.
Adapted from “Four Things to Get Right When Starting a
Company” by Bruce Gibney and Ken Howery -
